Smith homer leads to win over No. 2 Stanford

STANFORD, Calif. — Tanner Smith hit a leadoff solo home run in the top of the ninth inning to give Oregon a 4-3 win over No. 2 Stanford on Friday night at Sunken Diamond.
 
"I was waiting for a fastball that I could drive, middle in," Smith said following the game. "I knew I was going to get it at some point. They went to it early in the game, and I got it and put a good swing on it."
 
How It Happened: Stanford put a pair on the board against Oregon starter Caleb Sloan in the first inning. Making his first career start, Sloan walked the leadoff hitter and then gave up a hit to the two-hitter.
 
Oregon's defense then let Sloan down. Brock Jones lined out to second baseman Drew Cowley, who threw the ball away trying to double the runner at first allowing the runners to move to second and third. First baseman Jacob Walsh misplayed a Kody Huff grounder allowing a run to score. Stanford added a second unearned run on a fielder's choice.
 
Oregon evened the score in the fifth. Anthony Hall lined a triple off the first baseman and scored when the next hitter Colby Shade also tripled. Sam Novitske then drove in Shade with a RBI single to tie it.
 
The game stayed tied until the eighth inning, when Oregon (9-5, 1-0 Pac-12) was finally able to take its first lead of the game. Walsh sparked the inning doubling with one-out to put some pressure on the Cardinal (8-4, 0-1 Pac-12). After another out, Josiah Cromwick reached on a hit-by-pitch before Hall had an infield single to load the bases.
 
Shade drew a six-pitch walk to give Oregon the lead, 3-2.
 
It didn't stay that way long as Stanford answered in the bottom of the inning, but it could have been worse for the Ducks.
 
Kody Huff led off the inning for Stanford with a double and advanced to third on a dribbler in front of the plate. Drew Bowser tied the game with a double before the Cardinal loaded the bases with an intentional walk and an infield hit with just one out.
 
Reliever Stone Churby (1-0) then got Adam Crampton to ground the ball up the middle were Josh Kasevich shoveled it to Gavin Grant who threw to Walsh at first for the inning ending double play.
 
Box Score Notes: Smith's home run ran his streak to three consecutive games with a homer, the first Duck to do that since Kenyon Yovan in early March last year … Smith (2-for-5, HR, RBI, R) had his seventh multiple-hit game of the season, and the 44th of his career (10th all-time at Oregon) … Walsh (2-for-5, R) had his ninth multiple-hit game of the season (in 14 total games) … Hall (2-for-4, R) had his fourth multi-hit game of the season and the 19th of his career … Shade (2-for-3, 2 RBI, R, BB) finished with the sixth multiple hit game of the season and of his career, while driving in multiple runs for the sixth time this season … Kolby Somers pitched a scoreless ninth to pick up his first save of the season and the 13th of his career, tying Garrett Cleavinger (2013-15) and Jake Reed (2012-14) four fourth all-time at Oregon … RJ Gordon tossed 4.2 scoreless inning of relief, tying a career-high with 5 Ks … Caleb Sloan made his first career start, allowing two unearned runs in 2.0 innings … Churby got credited with his first win as a Duck.
 
Up Next: Game two of the series is at 2:05 p.m. at Sunken Diamond on Saturday.